Stumped trying to make sense of physics? Here's your solution. Physics Demystified, Second Edition helps you grasp the essential concepts with ease.

Written in a step-by-step format, this practical guide begins by covering classical physics, including mass, force, motion, momentum, work, energy, and power, as well as the temperature and states of matter. Electricity, magnetism, and electronics are discussed as are waves, particles, space, and time. Detailed examples, concise explanations, and worked problems make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce learning.

It's a no-brainer! You'll learn about:

Scientific notation, units, and constants

Newton's laws of motion

Kirchhoff's laws

Alternating current and semiconductors

Optics

Relativity theory

Simple enough for a beginner, but detailed enough for an advanced student, Physics Demystified, Second Edition helps you master this challenging and diverse subject. It's also the perfect resource to prepare you for higher-level physics classes and college placement tests.

Physics2000 is a two volume calculus based introductory physics textbook. By introducing the concepts of special relativity in the first chapter of the text, we can use these ideas throughout the text to present physics from a twentieth century, not nineteenth century, point of view. Early on we discuss the relationship between mass and energy. Magnetism is introduced as a relativistic effect of Coulomb's electric force law. After discussing Maxwell's theory of light waves, we can go directly to the particle nature of light and the simple mechanics of a zero rest mass particle. With this background, we introduce the general particle-wave nature of matter and the basic ideas of quantum mechanics. This approach avoids the great divide that usually occurs between classical and modern physics.

A free physics textbook that tells the story of how it became possible, after 2500 years of exploration, to answer such questions. The book is written for the curious: it is entertaining, surprising and challenging on every page. With little mathematics, starting from observations of everyday life, the text explores the most fascinating parts of mechanics, thermodynamics, special and general relativity, electrodynamics, quantum theory and modern attempts at unification. The essence of these fields is summarized in the most simple terms. For example, the text presents modern physics as consequence of the notions of minimum entropy, maximum speed, maximum force, minimum change of charge and minimum action.

Friday, September 25, 2015

The bestselling author of The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos tackles perhaps the most mind-bending question in modern physics and cosmology: Is our universe the only universe?

There was a time when "universe" meant all there is. Everything. Yet, a number of theories are converging on the possibility that our universe may be but one among many parallel universes populating a vast multiverse. Here, Briane Greene, one of our foremost physicists and science writers, takes us on a breathtaking journey to a multiverse comprising an endless series of big bangs, a multiverse with duplicates of every one of us, a multiverse populated by vast sheets of spacetime, a multiverse in which all we consider real are holographic illusions, and even a multiverse made purely of math--and reveals the reality hidden within each.

Using his trademark wit and precision, Greene presents a thrilling survey of cutting-edge physics and confronts the inevitable question: How can fundamental science progress if great swaths of reality lie beyond our reach? The Hidden Reality is a remarkable adventure through a world more vast and strange than anything we could have imagined.

From Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists and author the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elegant Universe, comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely different way.

Space and time form the very fabric of the cosmos. Yet they remain among the most mysterious of concepts. Is space an entity? Why does time have a direction? Could the universe exist without space and time? Can we travel to the past? Greene has set himself a daunting task: to explain non-intuitive, mathematical concepts like String Theory, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and Inflationary Cosmology with analogies drawn from common experience. From Newton’s unchanging realm in which space and time are absolute, to Einstein’s fluid conception of spacetime, to quantum mechanics’ entangled arena where vastly distant objects can instantaneously coordinate their behavior, Greene takes us all, regardless of our scientific backgrounds, on an irresistible and revelatory journey to the new layers of reality that modern physics has discovered lying just beneath the surface of our everyday world.

Here is the book that brought the mystical implications of subatomic physics to popular consciousness for the very first time--way back in 1975. This special edition celebrates the thirty-fifth anniversary of this early Shambhala best seller that has gone on to become a classic. It includes a new preface by the author, in which he reflects on the further discoveries and developments that have occurred in the years since the book's original publication. Physicists do not need mysticism, Dr. Capra says, and mystics do not need physics, but humanity needs both. It's a message of timeless importance.

Perfect Symmetry takes us to the frontier of scientific thinking, to the state of the universe before the big bang and before that to the creation of the universe out of absolutely nothing. Dr. Pagels writes with unmatchable elegance about the complex questions raised by the new physics. Perfect Symmetry presages a times in the near future when physicists will attain total understanding of the origin and nature of the universe and its evolution, thus achieving a new outlook on the creation and existence. Pagels emphasizes the new astronomical discoveries gained through the use of radio telescopes and earth-orbiting satellites. Details on the newest scientific findings give the reader a picture of what the universe really looks like - the stars and their deaths as white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes; the structure and evolution of galaxies; and quasars and their distribution in space in the form of clusters and superclusters. Heinz Pagels is that rarest of scientist/writers-one who can make comprehensible to the layman the most complex of ideas, synthesize disciplines to create more than an overview, and bridge the gap to make science read like art.

The sequel to the popular Mad About Physics, Mad About Modern Physics promises endless hours of entertaining, challenging fun. With detailed answers to hundreds of questions (""Are fluorescent lights dangerous to your health?"", ""What is a fuel cell?""), the book is also a treasure trove of fun science trivia. Featuring diagrams and illustrations throughout, this fascinating physics compendium will educate and captivate students, teachers, and science buffs alike.

FRANKLIN POTTER, Ph.D., is a retired physicist from the University of California at Irvine. He continues to conduct research in elementary particle physics and cosmology, as well as consult in physics education.

CHRISTOPHER JARGODZKI, Ph.D., is Professor of Physics at Central Missouri State University. He is also founder and director of Center for Cooperative Phenomena. He was born and raised in Poland, and received his Ph.D. in quantum field theory from the University of California at Irvine.

Here is a lively history of modern physics, as seen through the lives of thirty men and women from the pantheon of physics. William H. Cropper vividly portrays the life and accomplishments of such giants as Galileo and Isaac Newton, Marie Curie and Ernest Rutherford, Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr, right up to contemporary figures such as Richard Feynman, Murray Gell-Mann, and Stephen Hawking. We meet scientists--all geniuses--who could be gregarious, aloof, unpretentious, friendly, dogged, imperious, generous to colleagues or contentious rivals. As Cropper captures their personalities, he also offers vivid portraits of their great moments of discovery, their bitter feuds, their relations with family and friends, their religious beliefs and education. In addition, Cropper has grouped these biographies by discipline--mechanics, thermodynamics, particle physics, and others--each section beginning with a historical overview. Thus in the section on quantum mechanics, readers can see how the work of Max Planck influenced Niels Bohr, and how Bohr in turn influenced Werner Heisenberg.

Our understanding of the physical world has increased dramatically in the last four centuries. With Great Physicists, readers can retrace the footsteps of the men and women who led the way.

That cosmic particles time-travel through the atmosphere defying death?

That our past, present and future might all coexist "out there"?

With two remarkable ideas, Albert Einstein revolutionized our view of the Universe. His first was that nothing can travel faster than light-the ultimate speed limit. This simple fact leads to the unavoidable conclusion that space and time must be linked together forever as Spacetime. With his second monumental insight, Einstein showed how Spacetime is warped and stretched by the gravity of all objects in the Universe and even punctured by black holes. But such possible twisting of Spacetime allowed a magic not even Einstein could have imagined: time-travel.

Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili finally lays science fiction to rest as he opens up Einstein's Universe. Leading us gently and light-heartedly through the dizzying world of our space and time, he even gives us the recipe for a time machine, capable of taking us Back to the Future, to Alice's Wonderland, or on a trip with the Terminator.

The Light and Matter series of introductory physics textbooks is designed for the type of one-year survey course taken by biology majors. Topics include: Electricity and the Atom, The Nucleus, Circuits, Fields of Force, Electromagnetism, Capacitance and Inductance.

Elementary Mechanics and Thermodynamics Textbook is an ideal book for a typical semester which is 15 weeks long, giving 30 weeks at best for a year long course. At the fastest possible rate, we can "cover" only one chapter per week. For a year long course that is 30 chapters at best. Thus ten chapters of the typical book are left out! 1500 pages divided by 30 weeks is about 50 pages per week. The typical text is quite densed mathematics and physics and it's simply impossible for a student to read all of this in the detail required. Also with 100 problems per chapter, it's not possible for a student to do 100 problems each week. Thus it is impossible for a student to fully read and do all the problems in the standard introductory books. Thus these books are not useful to students or instructors teaching the typical course!

This comprehensive and progressive new text presents a variety of topics that are only briefly touched on in other books; this text provides a thorough introduction to the techniques of quantum field theory, which is the theoretical framework for constructing quantum mechanical models of field-like systems or, equivalently, of many-body systems. Covering topics such as Feynman diagrams and path integrals, the author emphasizes the path integral approach, the Wilsonian approach to renormalization, and the physics of non-abelian gauge theory. Banks provides a thorough treatment of groundbreaking topics such as quark confinement and chiral symmetry breaking, topics not typically covered in other introductory texts. The Standard Model of particle physics is also discussed in detail. Connections with condensed matter physics are explored, and there is a brief, but detailed, treatment of non-perturbative semi-classical methods. Ideal for graduate students in high-energy physics and condensed matter physics, the book contains many problems, which help students practice the key techniques of quantum field theory.

On the occasion of W. Zimmermann's 70th birthday some eminent scientists gave review talks in honor of one of the great masters of quantum field theory. It was decided to write them up and publish them in this book, together with reprints of some seminal papers of the laureate. Thus, this volume deepens our understanding of anomalies, algebraic renormalization theory, axiomatic field theory and of much more while illuminating the past and present state of affairs and pointing to interesting problems for future research.Download

In recent years topology has firmly established itself as an important part of the physicist's mathematical arsenal. It has many applications, first of all in quantum field theory, but increasingly also in other areas of physics. The main focus of this book is on the results of quantum field theory that are obtained by topological methods. Some aspects of the theory of condensed matter are also discussed. Part I is an introduction to quantum field theory: it discusses the basic Lagrangians used in the theory of elementary particles. Part II is devoted to the applications of topology to quantum field theory. Part III covers the necessary mathematical background in summary form. The book is aimed at physicists interested in applications of topology to physics and at mathematicians wishing to familiarize themselves with quantum field theory and the mathematical methods used in this field. It is accessible to graduate students in physics and mathematics.

Quantum field theory is one of most central constructions in 20th century th- retical physics, and it continues to develop rapidly in many different directions. The aim of the workshop “New Developments in Quantum Field Theory”, which was held in Zakopane, Poland, June 14-20, 1997, was to capture a broad selection of the most recent advances in this field. The conference was sponsored by the Scientific and - vironmental Affairs Division of NATO, as part of the Advanced Research Workshop series. This book contains the proceedings of that meeting. Major topics covered at the workshop include quantized theories of gravity, string theory, conformal field theory, cosmology, field theory approaches to critical phenomena and the renormalization group, matrix models, and field theory techniques applied to the theory of turbulence. One common theme at the conference was the use of large-Nmatrix models to obtain exact results in a variety of different disciplines. For example, it has been known for several years that by taking a suitable double-scaling limit, certain string theories (or two-dimensional quantum gravity coupled to matter) can be re-obtained from the large-Nexpansion of matrix models. There continues to be a large activity in this area of research, which was well reflected by talks given at our workshop. Remarkably, large- Nmatrix models have very recently – just a few months before our meeting – been shown to have yet another deep relation to string theory.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Volume 2: Superstring Theory and Beyond, begins with an introduction to supersymmetric string theories and goes on to a broad presentation of the important advances of recent years. The book first introduces the type I, type Ii, and heterotic superstring theories and their interactions. It then goes on to present important recent discoveries about strongly coupled strings, beginning with a detailed treatment of D-branes and their dynamics, and covering string duality, M-theory, and black hole entropy, and discusses many classic results in conformal field theory. The final four chapters are concerned with four-dimensional string theories, and have two goals: to show how some of the simplest string models connect with previous ideas for unifying the Standard Model; and to collect many important and beautiful general results on world-sheet and spacetime symmetries.

This book is a comprehensive survey of the current state of knowledge about the dynamics and gravitational properties of cosmic strings treated in the idealized classical approximation as line singularities described by the Nambu-Goto action. The author's purpose is to provide a standard reference to all work that has been published since the mid-1970s and to link this work together in a single conceptual framework and a single notational formalism. A working knowledge of basic general relativity is assumed. The book will be essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in mathematics, theoretical physics, and astronomy interested in cosmic strings.

he international bestseller that inspired a major Nova special and sparked a new understanding of the universe, now with a new preface and epilogue.

Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away layers of mystery to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter―from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas―is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy. The Elegant Universe makes some of the most sophisticated concepts ever contemplated accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.

This volume covers the most up-to-date findings on string field theory. It is presented in a new approach as a result of insights gained from the theory. This includes the use of a universal method for treating free field theories, which allows the derivation of a single, simple, free, local, Poincare-invariant, gauge-invariant action that can be applied directly to any fields.

An accessible introduction to string theory, this book provides a detailed and self-contained demonstration of the main concepts involved. The first part deals with basic ideas, reviewing special relativity and electromagnetism while introducing the concept of extra dimensions. D-branes and the classical dynamics of relativistic strings are discussed next, and the quantization of open and closed bosonic strings in the light-cone gauge, along with a brief introduction to superstrings. The second part begins with a detailed study of D-branes followed by string thermodynamics. It discusses possible physical applications, and covers T-duality of open and closed strings, electromagnetic fields on D-branes, Born/Infeld electrodynamics, covariant string quantization and string interactions. Primarily aimed as a textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses, it will also be ideal for a wide range of scientists and mathematicians who are curious about string theory.

Although there are several books in print dealing with elasticity, many focus on specialized topics such as mathematical foundations, anisotropic materials, two-dimensional problems, thermoelasticity, non-linear theory, etc. As such they are not appropriate candidates for a general textbook. This book provides a concise and organized presentation and development of general theory of elasticity. Complemented by a Solutions Manual and including MatLab codes and coding, this text is an excellent book teaching guide.

- Contains exercises for student engagement as well as the integration and use of MATLAB Software

- Provides development of common solution methodologies and a systematic review of analytical solutions useful in applications of engineering interest.

This monograph presents the basic theorems of differential geometry in three-dimensional space, including a thorough coverage of surface theory. By means of a series of carefully selected and representative mathematical models this monograph also explains at length how these theorems are used in three-dimensional elasticity and in shell theory. The presentation is essentially selfcontained, with a great emphasis on pedagogy. In particular, no 'a priori' knowledge of differential geometry or of elasticity theory is assumed, the only requirements are a reasonable knowledge of basic analysis, functional analysis, and some acquaintance with ordinary and partial differential equations.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The first edition of this successful text considered nonlinear geometrical behavior and nonlinear hyperelastic materials, and the numerics needed to model such phenomena. By presenting both nonlinear continuum analysis and associated finite element techniques in one, Bonet and Wood provide, in the new edition of this successful text, a complete, clear, and unified treatment of these important subjects. New chapters dealing with hyperelastic plastic behavior are included, and the authors have thoroughly updated the FLagSHyP program, freely accessible at www.flagshyp.com.

This book takes the student from the Newtonian mechanics typically taught in the first and the second year to the areas of recent research. The discussion of topics such as invariance, Hamiltonian Jacobi theory, and action-angle variables is especially complete; the last includes a discussion of the Hannay angle, not found in other texts. The final chapter is an introduction to the dynamics of nonlinear nondissipative systems. Connections with other areas of physics which the student is likely to be studying at the same time, such as electromagnetism and quantum mechanics, are made where possible. There is thus a discussion of electromagnetic field momentum and mechanical "hidden"; momentum in the quasi-static interaction of an electric charge and a magnet. This discussion, among other things explains the "(e/c)A"; term in the canonical momentum of a charged particle in an electromagnetic field. There is also a brief introduction to path integrals and their connection with Hamilton's principle, and the relation between the Hamilton Jacobi equation of mechanics, the eikonal equation of optics, and the Schrödinger equation of quantum mechanics. The text contains 115 exercises. This text is suitable for a course in classical mechanics at the advanced undergraduate level.

A development of the basic theory and applications of mechanics with an emphasis on the role of symmetry. The book includes numerous specific applications, making it beneficial to physicists and engineers. Specific examples and applications show how the theory works, backed by up-to-date techniques, all of which make the text accessible to a wide variety of readers, especially senior undergraduates and graduates in mathematics, physics and engineering. This second edition has been rewritten and updated for clarity throughout, with a major revamping and expansion of the exercises. Internet supplements containing additional material are also available.

Continuum mechanics studies the response of materials to different loading conditions. The concept of tensors is introduced through the idea of linear transformation in a self-contained chapter, and the interrelation of direct notation, indicial notation and matrix operations is clearly presented. A wide range of idealized materials are considered through simple static and dynamic problems, and the book contains an abundance of illustrative examples and problems, many with solutions.

Through the addition of more advanced material (solution of classical elasticity problems, constitutive equations for viscoelastic fluids, and finite deformation theory), this popular introduction to modern continuum mechanics has been fully revised to serve a dual purpose: for introductory courses in undergraduate engineering curricula, and for beginning graduate courses.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

This volume compiles three series of lectures on applications of the theory of Hamiltonian systems, contributed by some of the specialists in the field. The aim is to describe the state of the art for some interesting problems, such as the Hamiltonian theory for infinite-dimensional Hamiltonian systems, including KAM theory, the recent extensions of the theory of adiabatic invariants, and the phenomena related to stability over exponentially long times of Nekhoroshev's theory. The books may serve as an excellent basis for young researchers, who will find here a complete and accurate exposition of recent original results and many hints for further investigation.

This best-selling classical mechanics text, written for the advanced undergraduate one- or two-semester course, provides a complete account of the classical mechanics of particles, systems of particles, and rigid bodies. Vector calculus is used extensively to explore topics.The Lagrangian formulation of mechanics is introduced early to show its powerful problem solving ability.. Modern notation and terminology are used throughout in support of the text's objective: to facilitate students' transition to advanced physics and the mathematical formalism needed for the quantum theory of physics. CLASSICAL DYNAMICS OF PARTICLES AND SYSTEMS can easily be used for a one- or two-semester course, depending on the instructor's choice of topics.

What is this business called 'chaos'? What does it deal with? Why do people think it's important? And how did the term 'chaos' - long associated with disorder - come to signify a new paradigm in the orderly realm of mathematics? The concept of chaos is one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding research topics of recent decades. Chaos might underlie many kinds of well-known processes - the performance of the stock market, the weather, the cries of newborn babies, the dripping of a leaky faucet, and more.In "Chaos Theory Tamed", scientist Garnett P. Williams walks the reader through this exciting territory, building an understanding of chaos and its significance in our lives. "Chaos" is a mathematical subject. If you seek bodice-ripping romance, this book is not for you. But if you are a researcher working with data...a scientist, engineer, or economist who has specialized outside the field of mathematics...or an interested person with a bit of background in algebra and statistics...then "Chaos Theory Tamed" can help you understand the basic concepts of this relatively new arm of science.Williams explains the terms necessary for an understanding of chaos theory. He discusses 'sensitive dependence on initial conditions' and what that means for long-term predictions. He explores the role of the chaotic or 'strange' attractor, order within chaos, fractal structure, and the emerging concepts of self-organization and complexity. Drawing from mathematics, physics, and statistics, the book provides a toolkit for readers, including vectors, phase space, Fourier analysis, time-series analysis, and autocorrelation.Williams describes routes that systems may take from regular behavior to chaos - period doubling, intermittency, and quasiperiodicity - and discusses nonlinear equations that can give rise to chaos. Dimension is a basic ingredient of chaos, and Williams brings clarity to the many ways in which this term is used by specialists in the field. And he explains how the magnitude of chaos may be gauged by Lyapunov exponents, Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy, and mutual information - mysterious terms that 'aren't all that difficult once we pick them apart,' says Williams. "Chaos Theory Tamed" makes generous use of lists, graphs, field examples, summaries, and - perhaps most important - friendly language to help the reader learn and use the vocabulary of chaos. It will help scientists, students, and others outside mathematics to use the concepts of chaos in working with data, and it will give the interested lay reader a foothold on the fundamentals of this new realm of thought.